I’ve enjoyed learning aikidō for over 25 years so far. It’s a fascinating art, filled with intellectual and experiential joy. I continue to be intrigued by the subtle nuances, the quest for perfection and the creative space afforded by taninzūgake (free practice with one or more training partners). Lately I’ve returned to the violin, which I played as a younger man. As I… Read more →
We’re establishing good routines of regular training online from home while we’re unable to train together at the dojo. Below are some guidelines on how to set up at home to enjoy online training sessions safely. Choose a space with: adequate light for you to see what you’re doing and be seen on video adequate ventilation sufficient floor space to… Read more →
Last classes for 2018 and first classes back in 2019. Aiki Kids and Teens: classes concluded Mon 17 Dec. Classes recommence for Term 1 2019 on Mon 4 Feb. Aikido adults: last class Thu 20 Dec. Classes restart formally Mon 7 Jan. Get in touch if you are interested in additional informal training in the meantime. Atemi-jutsu: last class Sat… Read more →
I had a catastrophic car accident in 2014 and after 18 months of rehab in the gym I was no longer seeing any progress. Looking for other options, I contacted an aikido school and a sabre school (I’d trained both previously) and asked how they felt about taking on someone recovering from serious injury, who did not have full control… Read more →
First class back is this Thursday 4 January. Looking forward to seeing everyone back on the mat to start the year off with a bang. Just a reminder that we will be launching Self Defence Sundays in the near future. image: Creative Commons; Kvasir Read more →
Congratulations to all students who graded last week! 2017 has been a great year of training with a new cohort of students coming through. Everyone has made fantastic progress by simply turning up regularly and doing their best to make small improvements to their performance at every repetition. It’s been a lot of fun and that’s of course a really… Read more →
This Thursday 7 December we’ll hold our end of year gradings and go out for pizza after. There was excellent preparation on Monday night and I think everyone is looking forward to showing what they can do. A highlight will be Bob Withers (3-dan) putting in an appearance to do a bit of teaching and inspire our cohort of new… Read more →
Anyone who has watched TV recently might well believe their best option is to lock the door and never set foot outside again! It may be a pretty tough world we live in, but that’s a long way from reality. Australia, like many countries in the developed world, is a really safe place to live. Terror attacks are highly unlikely,… Read more →
Aikido, like many an art form has been subjected to much scrutiny through combat effectiveness, ancient writings, opinion and more recently the sciences. Using the prism of western sciences it has been both praised or reviled. Many an attempt has been made by the Aiki/scientific community to successfully explain Aiki in this manner. There are the tawdry explanations of the… Read more →
Just back from a weekend in Sydney, where Andrew Sunter Sensei’s dojo held some inspirational gradings (see Sydney Aikido facebook group for more info). Congratulations to one and all, and Brett from Grafton dojo who also graded. The day before there was some opportunity to share a little something we have been working on up here in Brisbane. I’ve been… Read more →
Day 2 of Will Reed Sensei, by Craig Boyd First session was a master class in basics, Sensei covered off the the warm ups and basic wazza lots of gems for everyone regarding center and it’s importance in centering and defining sides and how These feelings can be used to generate internal power. Timing was a big feature along with… Read more →
Chris Li’s Part 3 of Analysing Aiki is a terrific read on unbalancing and the mental/physical connection between uke and nage. I think there might even be seeing some support for the humble Aikiphysics Base of Support and Topple theory, but this time from a credible source Mr. Yoshimaru’s heels are floating, the center of gravity of the triangular body… Read more →
Chris Li of Sangenkai, Hawaii provides a multipart brilliant translation of a Japanese work analysing Aiki, by a prominent student of the Daito Ryu’s Sagawa Sensei. Read on for more http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/ Its terrific food for thought with our own humble efforts to date looking decidedly shabby. Read more →
A real pleasure to have Andrew Sunter sensei visit our dojo again. We have been exploring internal strength and its ‘Ura’? existence in our school for some time now, and so the opportunity to practice with him after he had a chance to work with Gleason Shihan in Sydney was a terrific opportunity and quite a few more concepts to… Read more →
UPDATE: We will be at the Mt. Gravatt Showgrounds for this event – from 6:30pm. See http://www.aikidorepublic.com/dojo-alternate-location On ANZAC day, Thursday April 25th we will have good friend and senior aikido instructor Andrew Sunter Sensei as guest of the dojo (see brief bio ) to teach two classes. Sunter sensei is one of Aikido Yuishinkai’s most senior instructors and a… Read more →